


The act of caring

by Rottenfawn



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Developing Relationship, Feelings Realization, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23496139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rottenfawn/pseuds/Rottenfawn
Summary: He had never thought he would be like this, close to someone, watching over them, even wanting to protect them from the harm this world could cause.
Relationships: Alastor/Husk (Hazbin Hotel)
Kudos: 91





	The act of caring

Alastor didn't find himself caring much about other people.  
In fact, in his current stage of life, he only had one person that awoke the somewhat foreign emotion of worry and the need to watch over them inside him.  
At first, he had been more than annoyed, anxious even, and it had been hard to deal with it.  
After all, there was no bigger truth than the fact that was showing feelings made you vulnerable, and with showing feelings for his dear Husker, he practically asked for being used and exploited, right?  
He knew that his partner had a soft soul, but it was also tainted with anger and dark memories from the past, leaving him as a fractured being with little to no care for this world.  
Alastor wasn't scared of the older man's more prominent strength, his larger body size, and the fact that he knew how to defend himself and kill with his bare hands.  
It was instead the fear of facing the truth, meeting his own needs and desires that were making him human.  
He was no stranger to sharp words, insults even, but they never earned more than a burst of laughter from him.  
Now, with Husker being from some importance and them sharing feelings, words were the most deadly weapon to the brunette.  
After all, a broken body could heal, but a broken heart couldn't.

But with time, he embraced his newfound source of entertainment.  
It was hilarious, how the older man never wanted to take help and go even further with hiding any sign of weakness.  
For the brunette, it was like a game of hide and seek.  
Chasing the other and going on his nerves always proved to be great fun. It was like Husker asked for him to be as annoying as possible, so he would finally give up and spill the truth.  
Alastor had the habit of wanting to know everything, even when it wasn't his business to begin with, and as his partner, Husker had to deal with that.  
Oh, it was amazing until he realized that it wasn't the other's weak attempt of getting rid of him but that it was in fact a deeper issue that needed to get addressed somehow.  
Unfortunately, Alastor wasn't good at talking things out.  
His always present smile made his counterpart feel like a joke, making it impossible to get a serious conversation going.  
He also laughed at the most inappropriate moments, even when there was nothing to laugh about.  
He didn't remember the last time they talked in a serious manner and went out of the conversation satisfied.  
Yes, he indeed wasn't good at this.

But for his dear Husker, he had to work on himself and provide a source of comfort and safety.  
It was the base of a healthy relationship, that was for sure. He didn't have experience with sharing his life with someone, but he wasn't entirely deaf for emotions.  
Only thinking about the older man hiding away with a sixpack of beer instead of coming to him was awaking a deep sense of dread inside him.  
There was an awful tiny voice in the back of his head, regularly mocking him for not being what his partner needed, and while he knew he should ignore it and laugh it off, he couldn't help but finding a spark of truth in it.

And so, he tried.  
Oh, he tried so hard to be right for his significant other, to be understanding and comforting, even when everything he wanted to do was rolling his eyes and groan in annoyance.  
Time went on, and with it, he made progress but also a couple of very unpleasant experiences that left him nauseous from all the negativity he felt.  
They were reaching him deep to his core and exposed the charming young man he could if he would only try hard enough.  
He soon realized that he wasn't as bad as being a good partner as he thought he was but that he was preventing himself from it.  
His problem wasn't that he lacked the abilities but that he simply ran away as soon as the situation got difficult and didn't provide any entertainment to him.  
The brunette was a hedonist, and he was one in the worst way possible.

Alastor knew that, while his ego hated the revelation he made, that he was only human and not above everyone else like he wanted to, it was necessary.  
He didn't believe in his own improvement, but he believed in Huskers.  
He studied his partner almost in detail, making out all the signs when things were getting bad again so that he could act quickly and accordingly.  
It was frustrating how little it seemed to pay off, and the younger man grew impatient.  
He wanted to see immediate results of how hard he worked for this relationship to function, but like everything good, it took time.  
There were subtle indications that it was working like instead of the other drowning his misery in alcohol, he would ask to go for a walk together. However, it was still not satisfying enough for Alastor.  
Patience was like torture for him.

But there was one night, where he got the recognition he had hoped for so long.  
The feeling of pride and relief when he was able to hold him while the older man was sleeping out of sheer exhaustion after a particularly draining flashback was leaving him puzzled and frightened.  
He had never thought he would be like this, close to someone, watching over them, even wanting to protect them from the harm this world could cause.  
He didn't like this, he told himself.  
With the change came new expectations. Expectations, Husker would have for him now.  
Maybe he would even expect this treatment daily, and Alastor wouldn't be able to deal with it.  
He wasn't made for this, for being a lover, a comforting presence in someone else's life.  
But the grin that wasn't only a facade and reached his eyes for once was telling the truth; a truth Alastor couldn't escape anymore.


End file.
